It’s time to Celebrate – Durian Style 🤩
With Malaysia opening its borders to Durian Lovers of the World, it’s time to celebrate!
Penang durian is a diverse universe. There are A LOT of kinds of durian in Penang, and a lot of small boutique farmers growing their own specialty variety in the little pockets and valleys of this micro-regional island.
This Durian Festival is designed to help you revel in everything that made Lindsay & Richard fall in love with this island – the incredible sea views, the mountain breezes, the polyglot culture and diverse cuisine, the friendly farmers, the cempedak, and of course, the amazing quality of DAILY DURIAN.
This 7-day adventure is a Hop from durian variety to durian variety – to learn with your tastebuds what makes Penang durian special!
Meet the farmers and hear the story behind each durian variety, like Red Prawn, Little Red, Kun Poh Ang Bak, 604, Kapri, Kacang Hijau, Goldfish, and more.
Experience the chemistry of durian flavor – how flavor changes hour to hour once the durian drops off the tree – and learn to select the perfect durian for your tastebuds.
Once you’re finished eating your way through this tour, you should not only consider yourself armed with the skills to pick out a fantastic durian from the pile, but earned the title Durian Snob.
Penang may seem like a small island, but it’s like Mary Poppins’ magic bag – there’s no end to new discoveries!
Where we stay
We will be staying in one Farmstay for the duration of this Durian Event, making this is our most family-friendly tour. Children aged 2 and under are free with their parent and kids of all ages are welcome.
We spend six nights together in a quiet durian oasis of Nature Fruit Farmstay, nestled against the foot of Bukit Genting Mountain and nearby the quietest, nicest stretch of sand on Penang Island.
In the early mornings, listen for durian thumping on to the roof or rolling down the hillside behind our artisan-rustic houses.
We have booked out the entire property, so it will be only our group staying here, with a maximum of 20 guests.
Prices are per Rooming Option, so choose the option that fits you, your family, or your group the best!
You can read more about Nature Fruit Farm here.
And let us know if you have any questions. We’ll be happy to help you find your room.
Adventures
In addition to durian, we will also be exploring Penang by foot, boat, and bicycle! Expect plenty of outdoor activity to balance out all the Eating we will be doing.
Bring your swimming suit, a comfortable pair of hiking shoes, *sun protection*, and your love of the outdoors. With Penang’s steep hillsides and gorgeous turquoise sea, expect some incredible views.
Vegan Meals and Abundant Fruit
You know we love learning about local plant foods! We will have multiple guest chefs teaching us about all the edible things that grow in the farms and mountains of this beautiful island.
Each meal will feature fun local plant cuisine and is adaptable for raw-vegans. Please notify us if you are following a special diet or have specific preferences.
We will have local fruits available in the cafe area at all times if you manage to get hungry between Durian Feasts.
The Durian
Durian is of course, our specialty and the reason you are here! We want to make sure you get not only enough QUANTITY of durian, but the QUALITY as well.
Hopefully, when you leave this tour you will not only be very satisfied after a long durian smorgasbord, but have an indepth understanding of Durian Flavor, how you can select for various flavors, and which specific varieties and characteristics you value and treasure the most.
Richard, Lindsay, and our two durian-trained guides will be on hand at all times to help you choose the perfect durian for your tastebuds and to teach you important Durian Skills.
We hope you will have *the most amazing time* together with us on this Durian Island we adore.
Can’t wait to see you on Penang!
Terms and Cancellations
Entering Malaysia in 2022
In the pandemic era, dealing with entry regulations can be intimidating.
Entry requirements are very much in flux right now but seem to be getting more relaxed with each announcement. Don’t worry, we will be keeping up to date on current regulations and assisting you with your entry papers.
Before departing:
- Check if you will need a visa. Currently, people from most countries do not need to apply for a visa if they are planning a trip of less than 90 days.
- As of May 1, medical insurance is no longer required for both vaccinated or unvaccinated travelers.
- Download the MySejahtera App
- Complete the Pre-departure form under the ‘Traveller” icon in MySejahtera application
- Check requirements based on your vaccination status.
- If you are vaccinated, you need to verify your vaccination certificate before arrival in the MySejahtera App. Then you must get a professional PCR Test 48 hours before arrival. Once that is uploaded into the App, that’s all you need to do and you will be free to depart the airport as normal.
- If you are not vaccinated, it is a little more complicated.
- You will need to get a professional PCR Test 48 hours before departure to Malaysia OR a professional ATK Test and upload the negative test results to MySejahtera App.
- Upon arrival to Malaysia you will receive a Digital Home Surveillance Order (HSO) requiring a quarantine of 5 days in the location of your choice. You do not need to apply for approval from the Ministry of Health for your quarantine location. This is a legally binding Order and you can be subject to fines or deportation for breaking your quarantine.
- Within 24-hours of arrival, you will need to go for professional Rapid ATK Test and upload the results into the MySejahtera App. Book your tests on this website.
- To be released from the Digital Home Surveillance Order, you can choose to do a PCR Test on Day 4 and upload the results to MySejahtera, or you can do a Rapid ATK Test on Day 5 and upload the results to MySejahtera. On uploading the negative result, you will be freed from Home Quarantine and free to explore Malaysia!
If you have questions, feel free to contact us or go to this facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/howtoenterthailand
